df.therunelords-第4部分

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her　well。
　〃My　name　is　Myrrima。。。〃　she　said；　leaving　a　silence　for　him　in　which　to　offer　his　own　name。
　〃A　beautiful　name；　for　a　beautiful　girl。〃
　〃And　you　are？〃
　〃Thrilled　by　intrigue；〃　he　said。　〃Aren't　you？〃
　〃Not　always。〃　She　smiled；　a　demand　for　his　name。
　Twenty　paces　behind；　Borenson　tapped　the　scabbard　of　his　saber　against　a　passing　goat　cart；　a　sign　that　he'd　left　his　post　at　the　hostel's　doorway　and　was　now　following。　The　Days　would　be　at　his　side。
　Myrrima　glanced　back。　〃He's　a　fine…looking　guardsman。〃
　〃A　fine　man；〃　Gaborn　agreed。
　〃You　are　traveling　on　business？　You　like　Bannisferre？〃
　〃Yes；　and　yes。〃
　She　abruptly　pulled　her　hand　away。　〃You　don't　make　mitments　easily；〃　she　said；　turning　to　face　him；　her　smile　faltering　just　a　bit。　Perhaps　she　sensed　now　that　the　chase　was　up；　that　he　would　not　marry　her。
　〃No。　Never。　Perhaps　it　is　a　weakness　in　my　character；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Why　not？〃　Myrrima　asked；　still　playful。　She　stopped　by　a　fountain　where　a　statue　of　Edmon　Tillerman　stood　holding　a　pot　with　three　spigots　that　poured　water　down　over　the　faces　of　three　bears。
　〃Because　lives　are　at　stake；〃　Gaborn　answered。　He　sat　at　the　edge　of　the　fountain；　glanced　into　the　pool。　Startled　by　his　presence；　huge　polliwogs　wriggled　down　into　the　green　water。　〃When　I　mit　to　someone；　I　accept　responsibility　for　them。　I　offer　my　life；　or　at　least　a　portion　of　it。　When　I　accept　someone's　mitment；　I　expect　nothing　less　than　total　mitmenttheir　livesin　return。　This　reciprocal　relationship　is。。。it　must　define　me。〃
　Myrrima　frowned；　made　uneasy　by　his　serious　tone。　〃You　are　not　a　merchant。　You。。。talk　like　a　lord！〃
　He　could　see　her　considering。　She　would　know　he　was　not　of　Sylvarresta's　line；　not　a　lord　from　Heredon。　So　he　would　have　to　be　a　foreign　dignitary；　merely　traveling　in　Heredon；　an　out…of…the…way　country；　one　of　the　farthest　north　in　all　the　Kingdoms　of　Rofehavan。
　〃I　should　have　knownyou　are　so　handsome；〃　she　said。　〃So　you're　a　Runelord；　e　to　study　our　land。　Tell　me；　do　you　like　it　enough　to　seek　betrothal　to　Princess　Iome　Sylvarresta？〃
　Gaborn　admired　the　way　that　she　drew　the　proper　conclusion。　〃I'm　surprised　at　how　green　your　land　is；　and　how　strong　your　people　are；〃　Gaborn　said。　〃It　is　richer　than　I'd　imagined。〃
　〃Will　Princess　Sylvarresta　accept　you？〃　Still；　she　was　searching　for　answers。　She　wondered　which　poor　castle　he　hailed　from。　She　sat　beside　him　on　the　edge　of　the　fountain。
　Gaborn　shrugged；　feigning　less　concern　than　he　felt。　〃I　know　her　only　by　reputation；〃　he　admitted。　〃Perhaps　you　know　her　better　than　I。　How　do　you　think　she　will　look　on　me？〃
　〃You　are　handsome　enough；〃　Myrrima　said；　frankly　studying　his　broad　shoulders；　the　long　dark…brown　hair　that　fell　from　under　his　plumed　cap。　By　now　she　must　have　realized　he　was　not　dark　enough　of　hair　to　be　from　Muyyatin；　or　any　of　the　Indhopalese　nations。
　Then　she　gasped；　eyes　going　wide。
　She　stood　up　quickly　and　stepped　back；　unsure　whether　to　remain　standing；　curtsy；　or　fall　down　and　prostrate　herself　at　his　feet。　〃Forgive　me；　Prince　OrdenI；　uhdid　not　see　your　resemblance　to　your　father！〃
　Myrrima　lurched　back　three　paces；　as　if　wishing　she　could　run　blindly　away；　for　she　now　knew　that　he　was　not　the　son　of　some　poor　baron　who　called　a　pile　of　rocks　his　fortress；　but　that　he　came　from　Mystarria　itself。
　〃You　know　my　father？〃　Gaborn　asked；　rising　and　stepping　forward。　He　took　her　hand　once　again；　trying　to　reassure　her　that　no　offense　had　been　taken。
　〃Ionce　he　rode　through　town；　on　his　way　to　the　hunt；〃　Myrrima　said。　〃I　was　but　a　girl。　I　can't　forget　his　face。〃
　〃He　has　always　liked　Heredon；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃Yes。。。yes；　he　es　often　enough；〃　Myrrima　said；　clearly　disfited。　〃Ipardon　me　if　I　troubled　you；　my　lord。　I　did　not　mean　to　be　presumptuous。　Oh。。。〃
　Myrrima　turned　and　began　to　run。
　〃Stop；〃　Gaborn　said；　letting　just　a　little　of　the　power　of　his　Voice　take　her。
　She　stopped　as　if　she'd　been　struck　by　a　fist；　turned　to　face　him。　As　did　several　other　people　nearby。
　Unprepared　for　the　mand；　they　obeyed　as　if　it　had　e　from　their　own　minds。　When　they　saw　that　they　were　not　the　object　of　his　attention；　some　stared　at　him　curiously　while　a　few　started　away；　unnerved　by　the　appearance　of　a　Runelord　in　their　midst。
　Suddenly；　Borenson　hovered　at　Gaborn's　back；　with　the　Days。
　〃Thank　you　for　stopping；　Myrrima；〃　Gaborn　said。
　〃You　may　someday　be　my　king；〃　she　answered；　as　if　she'd　reasoned　out　her　response。
　〃Do　you　think　so？〃　Gaborn　said。　〃Do　you　think　Iome　will　have　me？〃
　The　question　startled　her。　Gaborn　continued。　〃Please；　tell　me。　You　are　a　perceptive　woman；　and　beautiful。　You　would　do　well　at　court。　I　value　your　opinion。〃
　Gaborn　held　his　breath；　waiting　for　her　frank　assessment。　She　couldn't　know　how　important　her　answer　was　to　him。　Gaborn　needed　this　alliance。　He　needed　Heredon's　strong　people；　its　impregnable　fortresses；　its　wide…open　lands；　ready　to　till。　True；　his　own　Mystarria　was　a　rich　land…ripe；　its　markets　sprawling　and　crowdedbut　after　years　of　struggle　the　Wolf　Lord　Raj　Ahten　had　finally　conquered　the　Indhopalese　Kingdoms；　and　Gaborn　knew　that　Raj　Ahten　would　not　stop　there。　By　spring；　he　would　either　invade　the　barbarian　realms　of　Inkarra　or　he　would　turn　north　to　the　kingdoms　in　Rofehavan。
　In　reality；　it　didn't　matter　where　the　Wolf　Lord　attacked　next。　In　the　wars　to　e；　Gaborn　knew　he'd　never　be　able　to　adequately　defend　his　people　in　Mystarria。　He　needed　this　land。
　Even　though　Heredon　had　not　seen　a　major　war　in　four　hundred　years；　the　realm's　great　battlements　remained　intact。　Even　the　fortress　at　lowly　Tor　Ingel；　set　among　the　cliffs；　could　be　defended　better　than　most　of　Gaborn's　estates　in　Mystarria。　Gaborn　needed　Heredon。　He　needed　Iome's　hand　in　marriage。
　More　important；　though　he　dared　not　admit　it　to　anyone；　something　deep　inside　told　him　that　he　needed　Iome　herself。　An　odd　pulsion　drew　him　here；　against　all　mon　sense。　As　if　invisible　fiery　threads　were　connected　to　his　heart　and　mind。　Sometimes　at　night　he'd　lie　awake；　feeling　the　tug；　an　odd　glowing　sensation　that　spread　outward　from　the　center　of　his　chest；　as　if　a　warm　stone　lay　there。　Those　threads　seemed　to　pull　him　toward　Iome。　He'd　fought　the　urge　to　seek　her　hand　for　a　year　now；　until　he　could　fight　no　more。
　Myrrima　studied　Gaborn　once　again　with　her　marvelous　frankness。　Then　laughed　easily。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Iome　will　not　have　you。〃
　There　had　been　no　hesitancy　in　her　answer。　She　had　said　it　simply；　as　if　she'd　seen　the　truth　of　it。　Then　she　smiled　at　him　seductively。　But　I　want　you；　her　smile　said。
　〃You　sound　certain。〃　Gaborn　tried　to　seem　casual。　〃Is　it　merely　my　clothes？　I　did　bring　more　suitable　attire。〃
　〃You　may　be　from　the　most　powerful　kingdom　in　Rofehavan；　but。。。how　shall　I　put　this？　Your　politics　are　suspect。〃
　It　was　a　kind　way　to　accuse　him　of　being　immoral。　Gaborn　had　feared　Such　an　accusation。
　〃Because　my　father　is　a　pragmatist？〃　Gaborn　asked。
　〃Some　think　him　pragmatic；　some　think　him。。。too　acquisitive。〃　Gaborn　grinned。　〃King　Sylvarresta　thinks　him　pragmatic。。。but　his　daughter　thinks　my　father　is　greedy？　She　said　this？〃
　Myrrima　smiled　and　nodded　secretively。　〃I've　heard　rumors　that　she　said　as　much　at　the　midwinter　feast。〃
　Gaborn　was　often　amazed　at　how　much　the　moners　knew　or　surmised　about　the　ings　and　goings　and　doings　of　lords。　Things　that　he'd　often　thought　were　court　secrets　would　be　openly　discussed　at　some　inn　a　hundred　leagues　distant。　Myrrima　seemed　sure　of　her　sources。
　〃So　she　will　reject　my　petition；　because　of　my　father。〃
　〃It　has　been　said　in　Heredon　that　Prince　Orden　is　'much　like　his　father。'　〃
　〃Too　much　like　his　father？〃　Gaborn　asked。　A　quote　from　Princess　Sylvarresta？　Probably　spoken　to　quell　any　rumors　of　a　possible　match。　It　was　true　that　Gaborn　had　his　father's　look　about　him。　But　Gaborn　was　not　his　father。　Nor　was　his　father；　Gaborn　believed；　as　〃acquisitive〃　as　Iome　accused　him　of　being。
　Myrrima　had　the　good　taste　to　say　no　more。　She　pulled　her　hand　free　of　his。
　〃She　will　marry　me；〃　Gaborn　said。　He　felt　confident　he　could　sway　the　princess。
　Myrrima　raised　a　brow。　〃How　could　you　imagine　so？　Because　it　would　be　pragmatic　to　ally　herself